txcattlemom
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How much exercise should a showsteer get? How do you exercise him? What about heifers?
Showsteer Aerobics!
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Keren
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- My little patch of earth, Perth, WA, Australia
Exercise is extremely important, as it stimulates appetite and builds muscle. Although the American and Australian show methods seem to be very different, this is what we do:
Steers - penned for day, let out in individual runs every night. The size needs to be big enough to stimulate appetite and build muscle, without them walking condition off. I have heard from various people, but it seems half to one acre is about right for each animal. Also, all steers let out together in a paddock one day a week for interaction and playing.
Heifers, cows and bulls - as above but not penned during day. Free to move from run to shedded pen as they wish.
Steers - penned for day, let out in individual runs every night. The size needs to be big enough to stimulate appetite and build muscle, without them walking condition off. I have heard from various people, but it seems half to one acre is about right for each animal. Also, all steers let out together in a paddock one day a week for interaction and playing.
Heifers, cows and bulls - as above but not penned during day. Free to move from run to shedded pen as they wish.
A
Anonymous
We run our young show bulls in groups of 3 to 5, varying on how many are being worked.
When we are preparing for a show, they are run in large yards at night and then brought in and fed in the shed in individual pens during the day. They have both breakfast and lunch (and occasionally lunch) inside before being let out at night.
The same is done for heifers and cows... they are all run together at night and same procedure day. The exception is a heifer/cow/bull who is already broken... they are usually left out during the day too, and only brought inside for some work the week before the show.
Steers are usually run with the heifers or bulls... I can't recall ever having any problems with this. With the steers it is essential that they are brought in and fed individually during the day.
The whole team generally has weekends off, and get fed outside in their yards. As the show approaches the routine tends to vary.
Whew! Well that's how we do it, and it works for us.
When we are preparing for a show, they are run in large yards at night and then brought in and fed in the shed in individual pens during the day. They have both breakfast and lunch (and occasionally lunch) inside before being let out at night.
The same is done for heifers and cows... they are all run together at night and same procedure day. The exception is a heifer/cow/bull who is already broken... they are usually left out during the day too, and only brought inside for some work the week before the show.
Steers are usually run with the heifers or bulls... I can't recall ever having any problems with this. With the steers it is essential that they are brought in and fed individually during the day.
The whole team generally has weekends off, and get fed outside in their yards. As the show approaches the routine tends to vary.
Whew! Well that's how we do it, and it works for us.
TxCoUnTrYbOy
Well-known member
At work over the summer with heifers and bulls they would be in pens and have free roam outside in a bigger area. In the morning we would bring them in the barn and tie them. Throughout the day we would take them and walk them around and work with them, and then tie them back up and brush on them some. Late in the afternoon we would untie them and let them back to the pens to eat.
Older animals that were already good would be haltered once in a while and washed/worked with.
Older animals that were already good would be haltered once in a while and washed/worked with.
